Tuesday, 25 March 2014

Mixology
in simple words is the art of preparing mixed drinks. The drinks
prepared as a result of employing this technique might be alcoholic
as well as non alcoholic.

Finely
mixed drinks always leave an impression. While even the best variant
of your favorite drink might end as a short-term memory, the mystery
behind the unusual punch that took you by surprise in the late night
party will linger on your taste buds till the morning after. Be it
martini, tequila or whiskey, a different mixture of the components
each time is what adds the variety to your life.

Mixology
is also a good career prospect as they are and will always be fewer
in number than bartenders. Social Elite Staffing describes the ratio
of bartenders to guests as 1:100 for parties and 1:75 for weddings.
Imagine, if in a party with a crowd of more than thousand guests,
there is only one mixologist, how much special and demanded he’s
gonna be.

What
makes mixologists needed

Most
people who have tried to unwrap the basics behind making a cocktail
would know that the basic components of a cocktail are the base, the
modifying agent and flavors and colors. But what after that? Do you
all know the various categories of mixes and cocktails, what is the
basic differentiating factor between a Daiquiri and Jack Rose?

In
today’s party-crazy world, having a good knowledge of mixology can
help you a great deal as the person who can take control of the party
can take control of a lot of things, and drinks are the trump card.

Mixologists,
with more extensive and in-depth training than bartenders, know the
most unique things about drink recipes, sour drinks, non alcoholic
drinks and a lot more, and can use this knowledge to the best of
their advantage.

The
art of mixing drinks

The
art of mixing is one art anyone and everyone who has a taste for fine
drinking would love to possess. As suggested in David A. Embury’s
classic cocktail book The
Fine Art of Mixing Drinks,
some of the basics that need to be ensured for a quality cocktail are
that the quality of liquor should be absolutely top-class, not
containing heavy agents. It should also have a good appearance and
aroma.

Mixologists
would know how to use substituting agents and how small additions can
modify the taste and the overall effect of the drink. Icing is
another important aspect that will be covered in all mixology courses
around the world, because, as you know, people have different
preferences for temperatures.

Schools
and courses

Some
of the popular schools and universities that are imparting education
and professional courses on mixology are The Columbia School of
Mixology, University of Mixology (California), Mixology Group (UK),
Professional Bartending Schools of America (all over America) and
Universalclass.com (Online class). Myles Cunliffe, the director of
Mixology Group says "Once you've completed our course, we
believe that we've provided you the knowledge and confidence to go
out and get a higher profile job. Meaning you can enjoy work more,
get better pay and have more time off."

Myles Cunliffe, Director, Mixology Group, teaching a few tricks of the trade to prospective mixologists.

While
studying mixology from these universities, you would learn it from
expert, experienced mixologists and bartending experts who have
traveled all around the world; with hands on practical teaching,
allowing you to make the mistakes. You can also try online classes,
which are imparted through videos or video conferencing.

While
each school or university has a different course curriculum, the
major aspects that will be covered in most mixology-based bartending
course would include drink recipes, garnishes, basics of and around
the bar, pricing, serving techniques, substitutes, inventory
management and of course, the liquor laws.

Whichever
school you learn from, make sure your mind is always open to new
ideas, from within and from others. Wisdom is one of the key drivers
of smartness, and one who is wise can lead the way.

A
good knowledge of the various mixtures can help you impress friends,
win over dates, win competitions and land a job, or if lucky, a
business opportunity. The scope of learning and winning in the field
of mixology is infinite, it’s just up to you how you tap your
potential.

Thursday, 13 March 2014

Woman,
a word that whenever appears carries with itself a sea of stories. A
story of struggle, a story of discrimination, a story of freedom and
many such untold, unheard stories. Well, I have a different story to
tell today. The story of Women, Sports and Discrimination. Do you
even know that when the Olympics games began in 1896, not even a
single woman athlete was allowed to compete? And the most shocking
part of that Olympics was that, even if a woman was found watching
it, she was punished severely.

But
to find the gender discrimination in sports, we don’t have to go so
far since we have plenty of examples right at our homes. The very
sight of a barby doll fills our live barbies with delight. But have
you ever thought why we gift a baby girl with a doll and a baby boy
with a toy car or maybe a toy gun? Isn’t it a sort of
discrimination?? Just give it a thought!

However,
later the Olympics authority gave two explanations for excluding
women from Olympics;

Women
are not too healthy to compete

Not
all the women prefer playing everywhere, and if women seek to
participate in Olympics, a women’s sport has to be practiced
widely in not less than 25 nations

But
very soon the women cleared both these blocks and proved their
physical fitness first to prove their eligibility. In 1900, Olympics
allowed not more than 22 women to participate in Olympics but this
was a partial success. Why partial, because they could only compete
in two games viz. golf and tennis.

A long way to go!

Every
year since then, we can notice some changes in the criteria of
Olympics as far as a woman’s participation is concerned. And the
struggle continues till today. After declining many formal petitions
it is only in 2009 that the authority gave its approval to women ski
jumping. Ski jumping “seems
not to be appropriate for ladies from a medical point of view..”
said Gian Franco Kesper, the then-Ski Federation president (2005).

The
number of sports event for women keep on changing every year but with
terms and conditions applied. The women’s boxing event got accepted
by the IOC only in 2012. But with the condition that the women
competitors should wear skirts while playing since it would help the
authority distinguishing them from the male competitors since every
fighter has to wear a headgear during the competition. Whereas, some
nations found it more elegant.

However,
the London Olympics (2012) marked a remarkable increase in the
women’s participation. There were around 45% women participants it.
And almost 59 women participant won medals including 29 gold ones.
The figures suggest a positive and celebratory future for women in
Olympics or any of the sport event.

On their way to success!

But
despite of these promising figures there are a few Muslim nations
that still discourage their women athletes to prove their competency
publicly.

Recently,
the whole world celebrated International woman’s day on 8th March
and on 9th March, we witnessed Nagoya International Women's Marathon
that actually symbolizes women’s empowerment and their competency
in sport’s events.

The
20 or 30 minutes, that you enjoy watching a women’s tennis, boxing
or racing event, has behind it decades of struggle. The 20 or 30
minutes in which women try to give their best, prove their ability
has many decades of hard work, determination and of course many
untold
stories of struggle.

Friday, 7 March 2014

“Come
on! I am going there as a traveler, not as a tourist,” stated are
the words of a friend of mine who left the country for Italy last
Friday. When his mom asked him to come back early that’s what he
replied with. Don’t know about his mother but I found this
statement very catchy and interesting. Thus, have made the statement
food for my blog today.

A Traveler or A Tourist?

“Tourist”
or “Traveler”, generally we use the two terms interchangeably but
actually there lies a huge difference between both of these. Take two
different roads, one which is full of adventure despite of its
unforgiving and inhospitable atmosphere while other is a smooth and
most walked on since it is guided by the experience of others. The
one who would choose the former road would be a traveler while the
one who chooses the later would be a tourist.

Let
us try to distinguish between the two on different parameters:

Planning
-A
tourist always has measured steps towards some set routes. He carries
with himself a self-charted-out map. Whereas a traveler cares less
for the routes and remains agile enough to change the route even at
the eleventh hour. A tourist has planned routes while the traveler
wait for the routes to plan for him.

A
tourist always follows his schedule religiously even up to the limit
that at some point of time he becomes slave of his schedule. He knows
exactly where he would be after a week. Whereas, there is no such
compulsion with a traveler. In fact, you would find him clueless
about his next move.

Comfort-
A tourist would care much for his comfort and to attain it, he would
not even think once in spending a lot on quality hotels or resorts
and also on hiring comfy cabs. Whereas, a traveler would find his
comfort under a mosquito net, around campfire and by traveling in an
overcrowded public transport. They literally lead a nomadic life
during the phase.

Learning-
By visiting a nation, a city, a place you indeed give pleasure to
your eyes but did your mind get its food? The curious mind of a
traveler remains active 24X7 in knowing about the things they can’t
see around and want to know beyond what everyone knows. Whereas, a
tourist remains quite active with his cameras and wanna capture the
beauty of the place for once and all. But isn't this capturing limits
the nature for him.

Interaction-
A
tourist has his interaction limited with a guide. He seeks whatever
information the guide gives him. Hiring a guide actually curbs his
opportunity to interact with the natives or locals. Whereas, a
traveler tries to ask maximum questions with a native with his
limited vocab and generally with some unusual yet amusing gestures. A
traveler gets friendly and interactive very easily. He tries to grasp
each and every minute detail without being a formal questioner.

What
Next- Once
home, a tourist gets the opportunity to share the pics with his near
and dear ones via Facebook, WhatsApp and other social networking
site. After a day or two’s rest, they get back to their old life.
But you would find the same traveler with a different hairdo,
interacting in a strange and broken language that too in a very
different accent.

I
think, we should earnestly thank these energetic and enthusiastic
traveler because they are the one who spot the unknown places and
later write about them. Such writings not only acquaint us with some
unknown places but also extend our knowledge about what we already
know.

Friday, 28 February 2014

As
we mark the Black history month, I would like to celebrate my life as
an African American. I was born in the beautiful state of Alabama.
This state has amazing landscape. Alabama bears the footprints of
Civil
Rights Movement
and the glorious history of liberation of blacks.

Center for learning

As
a university girl, at the University of Alabama, I carry the history
in my vision and thinking. While graduating with major in History at
the university, I was introduced to history not only through lectures
and books but by the writings on the wall, on campus and in
cafeteria. My university days have shaped my ideals and beliefs. My
professors who had seen the Civil Rights Movement in America were the
living libraries of the historical events. Many of them actively
participated in the movement.

One
of my professors, who was a staunch Marxist, believed that capitalism
is the root cause of racism. He argued capitalists believe that
racism is important to sustain the class divide. He was a white
American and was deeply critical of racism. He criticized that the
capitalists used church to subjugate the blacks. Theology was used as
a tool for the oppression of blacks and to uphold the superiority of
whites.

Though
I am not a Marxist, but I admire my professor because he was a man of
letters. Extremely well-articulate with a towering personality, he
made history walk in college lectures and informal chats. My interest
in history grew more with his teachings and finesse in history.

University
of Alabama carries the history of segregation. The African American
students were not allowed to study there. The then governor of
Alabama, George Wallace blocked the entry of African American
students. His move raised a roaring controversy. Segregation was made
unconstitutional in 1954’s Brown v. Board of Education but George
Wallace was no short of adhering to the ideology of segregation.

President
John F. Kennedy used deployment of National Guard troops under
federal laws to dismantle segregation at the University of Alabama in
1963. This brought an end to the aggressive segregation divide at the
University of Alabama. The entry of African American students ushered
a new era in the history of liberation of blacks.

The
rich history of Alabama does not stop only at the doors of University
of Alabama but walks all the way through famous historical sites. The
historical places which witnessed the Civil Rights Movement such as
Birmingham saw the light of Birmingham Campaign. The golden pages of
history also include the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

In
1963, the Birmingham Campaign led by Martin Luther King was launched.
This served an important force in the Civil Rights Movement in
America. The Birmingham Campaign marked the protest against
segregation laws prevalent in the city.

The
huge significance of Birmingham Campaign reflects in the words of
President John F. Kennedy, "The
events in Birmingham... have so increased the cries for equality that
no city or state or legislative body can prudently choose to ignore
them."

Montgomery
Bus Boycott is another glorious moment in the history of Civil Rights
Movement. The arrest of Rosa Parks followed the Montgomery Bus
Boycott. This was a turning event in the history of liberation of
blacks. The Montgomery Bus Boycott brought the U.S. Supreme Court
ruling which declared the segregation on public buses
unconstitutional.

The
rich history of Alabama speaks volumes. I feel blessed to be born in
Alabama. My Alabama commemorates the Black history month along with
millions of Americans. Let Alabama talk his history. Alabama
continues to march in the hearts of people who stand hand in hand to
fight against discrimination and oppression and pledge for equal and
plural society.

Friday, 21 February 2014

The
world history of museumsis
fascinating not only to historians and students but also to visitors
as well. Museum visits take you back in history and get you
introduced to kings and pharaohs, chariots and carts, guns and
cannons. Know the golden World History of Museums and walk into the
distant past. A Great Plan is all what takes you to World History of
Museums! A journey with a lit candle!

Amazing Art

If
you choose a weekend or a holiday for a visit to museum then you
should be expecting rush and crowd. Most of the people get free time
only on weekends or holidays to make a visit to museum with families
and kids.

Museums
often showcase themes that might interest you or that you might like
to explore. If you happen to be a fan of George Washington or
interested in knowing about the Civil Rights Movement in United
States of America, then plan your visit around the time when Museums
come up with such retrospectives. Don’t forget to do some research
before you head towards a museum for the likely visit.

Museum
visits give you the double joy of education and entertainment.
Museums offer something useful to all kinds of visitors-families and
kids, couples, researchers and students. Experience the unknown and
know more the known with museums!

Visit
the Metropolitan Museum of Art and admire the beauty of the Gothic
architecture. Explore the Vatican Museums in the Vatican City, Rome.
Appreciate the beautifully decorated Sistine Chapel of the Vatican
Museums painted by Michelangelo. Lost in the eyes of mesmerizing Mona
Lisa in Louvre in Paris! Stop by the the Egyptian Museum in Cairo to
make the Mummy return!

Mummy at Egyptian Museum

Last
but not the least download the app ED
World Historical Pediato
get a detailed information about all the renowned museums of the
world, their location, entry timings and accordingly plan your visit.
Know about other historical places across the world with ED
World Historical Pedia.

Friday, 7 February 2014

Let's
give another cheer for technology. The digital age has opened up a
whole new world of possibilities for artists, art enthusiasts and
travel aficionados. Art applications can become powerful tools to
take virtual tour to art and cultural centers around the world. ED
Art Lovers for android belongs on every art lover's device. With this
app, get access to more than thousands of art centers around the
world.

ED
Art Lovers is designed to give you up-to-date information about Art
Galleries, Theaters, Concert Halls, Dance Academies, Arts Academies
and many more arts and cultural centers near you, in your city and
around the world. With maps navigation information, this is a
must-have for art and culture lovers, travel aficionados and all
those who want the right information.

Travel
with this app to world-famous art galleries to see Renaissance to
Modern paintings. ED Art Lovers will inform you on everything from
fine art galleries to modern art galleries, presenting with classic
art centers you’re already familiar with or introducing you to new
art centers never seen before.

Whether
you're looking for a dance academy to watch a soulful dance
performance, or a theater to watch great Shakespearean play and
drama, this smartphone application can help you explore the center
with ease. ED Art Lovers offers you your favorite art-centric places
so that, wherever you are, you can have the desired cultural center
at your fingertips.

Make
your trip to world-class National Gallery of Art to admire paintings,
exhibitions and events. Movie-lovers plan your visit to international
film festivals across the globe. There’s even more: mark your
favorites and read or write reviews about the app.

Come
to world-famous Art galleries and experience the greatest art pieces!
Explore the brushstrokes and hear the stories behind masterpieces by
Leonardo, Renoir, Botticelli, Rembrandt and Van Gogh. Visit the
Lourve in Paris, and admire the beauty of Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da
Vinci.

The
app includes a nifty Staples feature that lets you staple the art
centers of your interest and save for quick reference in future. The
Matchstix feature gives you a detailed view of all stapled art
centers. And that's not all, share your experiences of your visit to
art centers with your Travelogue.

Travel
world’s renowned National Gallery of Art with this app to see the
works of world's greatest artists Picasso, Matisse, Cézanne, Manet,
Renoir, Gauguin and more. Walk your way to World Cinema, Classical
and Contemporary Dance Performances and Photography Masterpieces!

Friday, 31 January 2014

“Tell me and I forget,
teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” -Benjamin Franklin.

This quote by Benjamin
Franklin advocates a way of learning that asks one to participate in the whole
learning process with great enthusiasm because only through such kind of
involvement one may learn something once and for all.

After receiving worldwide
applause for its language learning apps like LingoDiction, LD SAT and
many others, MediaAgility has now moved towards the world of finance. Yes, you
guessed it right, the world of finance and accounting through its recently
released app called LD Finance. Following the successful path of its previous
apps, this one utilizes the exemplary features of Staples and Matchstix and
also the Quiz that keeps you engrossed and captivated during the learning
process.

LD Finance gives you an
all out information about more than 87OO accounting terms and financial
acronyms. These accounting terms have been adroitly placed under 17 broad
categories like Banking, Accounting, Real Estate, Estate, Economics, Legal
& Policies etc. Not only this, the UI of the app is also very appealing and
keeps the users intact with curiosity. From a commerce or economics student to
a successful entrepreneur anyone can use it to add to their knowledge. Let us
discuss the app with all its features and noticeable aspects:

The
Leather bound book: The app opens up with a Leather bound book that
actually banks all the terms related to commerce and financial accounting.

The
coin: Once you select a term, you automatically land on a coin with that
term and its meaning inscribed on it. By flipping this coin you may view
its preceding and succeeding terms.

Staples:
Staples gives you opportunity to get involved with the app by actually
stapling the terms of your concern in a category prepared by yourself.

Matchstix:
It presents before you all your stapled terms.

Quiz:
The Quiz prepares you in a much better way by giving you the opportunity
to first learn a category and then rate your learning by quizzing yourself
on the basis of that particular category.

This application has been
built using references from most trustworthy and acknowledged sources from
across the financial accounting. The full-fledged knowledge about all these
accounting terms is very important if you really want to deal with theworld of financeor commerce and also to manage with your daily lives. The
application helps you to learn these terms without consuming much of your time
in a very effective and retentive manner while inviting a soulful participation
from your part.

Friday, 24 January 2014

Gone
are the days when women were considered no match for all the powerful men
in this world. The male dominated world was always reluctant to even
acknowledge the fact that women were as good as men on parameters of
hard work, intelligence quotient (IQ) and leadership traits.

The
new generation women across the world have overcome all negative
notions and have proved themselves beyond doubt in all spheres of
life including the most intricate and cumbersome world of
entrepreneurship. It is interesting to see following most
successful women in finance.

Christine
Lagarde is
one of the most successful women in finance.In
her two years as boss of the IMF Christine Lagardecontinues
to impress. As the first female head of this august institution, she
took on a difficult job after the rapid and distasteful downfall of
the previous boss, Dominique Strauss Kahn. She’s
been criticized over the IMF’s involvement in the Eurozone bailout
and yet has risen above the animosity. Articulate,
smart and always well-dressed, she is every inch the power player on
the global stage.

A
lawyer by training, she went on to do well in the traditionally
masculine world of French politics. She was the first female finance
minister of the G8 and has held various other posts in French
government.

In
her early years, she represented France in synchronized swimming –
the demanding training preparing her well for her future career. Like
all who make it to the top, she has a strong work ethic. And she
clearly still keeps in great shape – another effect of her early
sporting career. Controlled, measured, focused – this is a women
highly unlikely to suffer the ignominy of her predecessor.

But
she is not just the most powerful women in finance; she is arguably
one of the most powerful women in the world on any measure. Forbes
may rate Melinda Gates and Michelle Obama higher but these only
occupy positions of power thanks to who they married. Christine
Lagarde made it to top on her own abilities.

Next
on the list of most successful
women in finance is
Dr
Janet Yellen whowill
be the first women in
to head the Fed in its hundred year history. And it’s not just
America – central banking is still an old boy’s club everywhere.
The new Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney may have
assuaged feminists with his choice of Jane Austen for the ten pound
note, but his Monetary Policy Committee is female free. Out of the
six members of the Executive Board at the European Central Bank, none
have double X chromosomes either. And not one women heads up a
central bank in any of the 28 EU member states. The Bank of Japan has
Sayuri Shirai as one of the nine members of its Policy Board. But
surprisingly, it is in Russia that a female head of a central bank is
to be found. Elvira Nabiullina took office in June of this year after
her appointment by President Putin – not a man known for his
feminist views. When asked about being one of the few female central
bankers in the world Dr Yellen said “I really think this is
something we’re going to see increase over time, and it’s time
for that to happen.”

With
a PhD in economics from Yale University and a previous career as
Professor of economics at University of California at Berkeley, she
has academic credentials aplenty. No one can doubt her immense
intelligence. She is also married to the economist George Akerlof who
has won a Nobel Prize. She is the female half of a serious
intellectual power couple.

The
Brazilian born Leda
Braga,
President of Bluecrest Capital Management frequently tops the list of
the most influential women in the hedge fund industry. But like the
rest of the hedgie community, she is notoriously secretive. She is
reluctant to be interviewed and especially to be involved in any
women-in-finance debate. Nonetheless, thanks to massive losses at her
fund, her photo was splashed over the British tabloid, The Sun this
summer. A reported loss of £1.8bn in just six weeks of trading
ensures such coverage.

According
the Forbes 2012 list of the highest earning hedgies, she comes in
thirty fifth in the world with earnings of $50mn. In fact she is the
only women in the top 40.

Again,
she is another super achiever academically with a PhD in engineering
from Imperial College in London with a further three years as
professor / researcher. And it is her mathematical ability that has
ensured her success. In a interview for Risk.net she explains “I
always liked the mathematics and maths methods. Engineering is the
edge of applied science. Engineers like to solve problems more than
anything and then apply these scientific tools to solve problems.”

After
beginning her career in derivatives at JPMorgan, she has become one
of the world’s experts in modeling complex derivatives and also
“black box” trading. However such trading systems can break down
in financial turbulence as the massive losses at the fund – 16.9%
in just six weeks to end June – highlights.

Brazilian
born, English educated and now based in Switzerland, this is an
International woman. Smart and working huge hours, she chose to “look
into” systematic or computer driven trading in her spare time:
“that research was at nights and on weekends”.

Reportedly
it was her husband who first entered the financial industry as an
optionstrader
and persuaded her to get into the same business. If he hadn’t have
done that there, no women would have been on that Forbes list at all.

From
the secretive and sexy world of hedge funds to the more staid and
much more open fund management industry. This is a profession that
has far more women at the top and it was difficult to choose which
one to feature. Ann Marie Petach is CFO of BlackRock which manages
almost $4trillion globally. Elizabeth Corley is CEO Allianz Global
Investors and writes thrillers in her spare time – four published
so far. Mary Callahan Erdoes is CEO JPMorgan Asset Managament with a
Harvard MBA and three children. And of course, the apparent Fidelityheir
is Abigail Johnson, expected to take over from her Father in the
family business.

But
for a woman who is a super achiever both in her career and family,
Helena
Morrisey,
CEO of Newton Asset management, fits the bill.Extraordinary
career success combined with an astonishing nine children. Unlike
Leda Braga, she is also fighting for the females of the future –
she is the founder of the 30 Percent clubs trying to get more women
on Boards.

She’s
the opposite of secretive and is an active tweeter, mostly tweeting
about promoting women in business and some comments against
intervention in Syria. She re-tweeted Dalai Lama which may have
something to do with being married to a Buddhist.

But
what is particularly impressive about Helena Morrisey is that unlike
many on this list, it appears she does not come from wealth and
privilege. She was educated at a comprehensive school in Chichester
from which she got a place at Cambridge University to study
philosophy – an achievement in itself as Cambridge still favors
those from private schools. However like the others, she is
intelligent and clearly super motivated.

The
next women on the list shapes the opinions of virtually all those in
the financial industry. The Financial Times is read by over 6,00,000
professionals and Gillan
Tett is
its assistant editor. She has had a great financial crisis, being one
of the first to spot the dangers of excess credit and complex credit
instruments. In
some ways she succeeds as a women, both in the male-dominated world
of newspapers and the macho world of finance.

Highly
intelligent, she has a PhD in Social Anthropology from Cambridge
University, having spent a year in Tajikistan. Her ability to speak
Russian gave her the first career break as a trainee at the FT and
from there her rise has been meteoric.

Apparently
she can milk a goat – a useful skill she jokes if she ever faces
redundancy.

From
written media to Broadcast: the Money Honey was CNBC’s flagship
female up to November 24of last year. The very beautiful Mario
Bartiromo has
been a top financial broadcaster for over two decades. She was the
first to report live from the male dominated wild and noisy trading
floor of the New York Stock Exchange and her enthusiastic, breathless
delivery sealed
her
route to stardom. Books, newspaper columns, extensive television and
radio work, numerous awards, and over 90,000 followers on Twitter.
And it’s not just male financiers who find her attractive;the
punk singer Joey Ramone wrote a song about her and his crush on her
just before he died in 2001.

Mario
Bartiromo was born in Brooklyn to Italian American parents and went
to New York University to study Journalism and Economics. Although
starting off at CNN, it was not long before she moved to CNBC where
she has spent most of her career. She is quoted as saying “When I
finally stumbled on broadcast journalism in business news, I realized
I had found my true love.”

She
finally left CNBC at the end of 2013 and has moved onto Fox Business
Network, reportedly for $5-6mn a year. Whilst shopping around to
other American networks for a new, more lucrative deal, the New York
Post teased her with the headline “Show me the Money, Honey”. Fox
clearly offered more cash. But it seems it was the promise of a her
own Sunday morning show on Fox News that made the difference.

Moving
to probably one of the most publicly hated areas of finance –
investment banking. It should be no surprise that few XX chromosomes
make it to the top in these ruthless and often immoral firms. But a
few have done so. The Frenchwoman, Isabelle
Ealet is
at the top table at the most powerful investment bank in the world.
She is co-head of Goldman Sachs Securities Division and ex global
head of commodities. She is boss of the division that has made a lot
of money over the last few years and thus, she wields much power
within the firm.

She
started off her career at Goldman as a commodities trader in 1991 and
made partner just nine years later in 2000 – a remarkable rise.
After studying at the elite French school, Institute d’Études
Politiques de Paris, she began her working life as an oil trader at
Total. Dubbed the Queen of Commodities – she dominated the markets.

Like
others of her profession, she rarely gives interviews. But a quote
does appear in a French magazine from some years ago. She said “What
I appreciate most is the culture of results. At Goldman Sachs, you
are judged on your performance, not on your relationships or
diplomas. It is fairer.” Basically, she made so much money
for Goldman, she had to be promoted.

Another
secretive world is that of private equity and venture capital. No
surprise after being described as “locusts” in 2005 by a
prominent German politician. Other unflattering adjectives abound –
Barbarians and Raiders to name but two. These are not attributes
typically associated with women. According to a recent report, the
private equity industry employs even less women than the rest of Wall
Street. Like central banking this is still a boy’s club – there
are only a few female top names.

Suzanne
O Donohoe joined the biggest name of all in this industry – KKR –
in 2009 and was the first female managing director at the firm. Her
background has been purely top drawer; undergrad at Georgetown
University; MBA at Wharton;17 years at Goldman Sachs. She is rarely
interviewed and adopts a low profile.

But
Adena
T. Friedman,
CFO at Carlyle group and the first women on the executive board, is
more female friendly. She worked part time at Nasdaq while her two
sons were young but notes that “men struggle with it (balancing
career and family) as much as women do”. “It’s a hard thing to
balance, needing to be at home, and needing to be at work, and making
sure you’re performing in both arenas,” Ms. Friedman said. “To
be honest, the guilt is extreme.”

This
industry boomed in the days of cheap and plentiful credit,
benefitting far more than the companies they leveraged up. But times
have been difficult since. Even so as the industry has expanded and
become more institutionalized, the need to attract more female talent
has emerged. Most of the big names have put special programs in place
to attract more female trainees.

Carmen
Reinhart is
one half of the Reinhart and Rogoff team and now as famous for her
spreadsheet mistake as for her ground breaking economics.
Specializing in financial crises, recent events have played to her
strengths. Her best-selling award winning book (with Kenneth Roggoff)
“This Time is Different – Eight Centuries of Financial Folly”
has become a must read since its publication and has been translated
into 20 languages. She even has her own Bloomberg page.

Eleanor
Roosevelt’s famous quote “A women is like a tea bag; you never
know how strong it is until it’s in hot water” aptly describes Cr
Reinhart’s in 2013. Global approbation has been heaped on her for
the spreadsheet mistake. But she has come out fighting.

Her
CV is blue chip all the way including University Professorships, the
IMF, World Bank, and even a stint an investment bank Bear Stearns as
Chief Economist. She has frequently testified before congress.

Born
in Havana Cuba, she has come a long way from her beginnings. Married
with one son, she is the world’s most famous female economist (even
if many do not realize she is a women).

Dr
Reinhart may have won many awards for economics but she has not won
the most prestigious – the Nobel Prize. The $1mn accolade given in
memory of Alfred Nobel has only been awarded to a female economist
once – to the almost unknown Elinor
Ostrom in
2009. Sadly she died of pancreatic cancer within three years of her
achievement.

She
won the prize jointly with Oliver E Williamson for their analysis of
how individuals and communities manage common resources; her
specialism was the sustainability of resources. She moved to Indiana
University – not the most prestigious in America – early in her
career and stayed there for her entire working life. Her husband was
also an academic, specializing in political theory. They collaborated
extensively and set up a research and teaching center marrying their
chosen fields of expertise.

Described
by a friend in an obituary written for the Guardian as an “intensely
private and modest person who has taken aback and sometimes
embarrassed by the attention she received towards the end of her
career”. Dr Ostrom may be last on this list but clearly not the
least.

Women
have come a long way in the financial profession but any cursory
glance at Extel rankings of analysts or Executive Boards of banks
shows this is still a male world. In time that may change. But the
ladies above do have some common characteristics. Great intellect,
tenacity and a capacity for hard work are their secrets of success.
But that goes for men as well as women.